Beethoven-approved
March 31, 2007
That’s right B-dog. That’s right.
Important notice for Canadians living or traveling in the Kansai and the Kyushu areas
March 29, 2007
From Mainichi News
Important notice for Canadians living or traveling in the Kansai and the Kyushu areas
As publicly announced in January, all consular services currently performed by Canadian consulates in Osaka and Fukuoka will be transferred to the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo as of April 2.
Canadian citizens living or travelling in the Kansai and the Kyushu areas can reach the Consular Section by using the following coordinates:
You can reach the Consular section by:
Telephone at (03) 5412-6200;
Fax at (03) 5412-6289;
E-mail at tokyo-consul@international.gc.ca;
Mail at Attn. Consular Section, Canadian Embassy, 7-3-38 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo, 107-8503
Canadian Embassy Announcement
LinkMarch 29, 2007
Quake!
March 25, 2007
This morning at 9:42am there was a pretty strong earthquake off the coast of Ishikawa prefecture, north side of central Japan. It measured a 6+ on the Japanese rating system and a 7.1 on the Richter.
Here in Osaka, I had just woken up and was in bed when I felt my building sway a bit, then increase in frequency, and then subside gently. It lasted 10 seconds or so here. My biggest fear here was my new computer getting destroyed by falling things or my bookshelf toppling and crushing my wife (in that particular order).
Ishikawa and Osaka prefecture highlighted. The green X is the epicenter.
I got up and turned on the TV to see where it was. Sure enough, a tsunami warning had already been issued and they expected a 50cm wave at 9:50am. It’s amazing how fast they were able to send out a warning so fast compared to the big wave in Thailand a couple years ago.
I concede
March 20, 2007
I’ve met my match.
Up to this point I thought there was no one I couldn’t train. No one who wouldn’t demonstrate a semblance of teaching after spending a few days with me. I would never officially admit it but the majority of those I get from the beginning do alright for themselves.
Wrong!
I have met one who goes beyond words. I had never been so helpless at work. I literally sat down and just stared into nothingness because I had no game plan. No corrective feedback, no training module to run through to fix something or to improve something. I had never been so stressed at work because I thought it was me! It was my training. I was doing something, or NOT doing something that was causing this.
I sent for reinforcements.
I had a few experienced trainers who spent time with said person going through stuff we did. This is personal time that is generally not given at this point in teaching. Mostly, it’s group work with me and the other trainees. Even after individualized, personal time, it wasn’t enough. At that point I realized it wasn’t me. It was, said person.
I’ve met my share of terrible people at work. Mostly it comes down to attitude, holier-than-thou personas, always blaming something else, or just plain angry people. Unfortunately our test subject did not fit any of these templates. This was something brand new.
The best word that comes to mind is “thick”. What we do is not brain surgery. What we do is a simple skill that can be acquired. What I expect from those I train at this point is the bare minimal. Our test subject was unable to meet most goals at the end of training, something I had not personally seen in my trainees until now.
Our test subject had no attitude problems. However I cannot say our test subject was personable neither. Quite the opposite - a blank sheet of A4 paper comes to mind.
I’m sorry for being so vague on everything. It would just be plain mean to name names and go into details. I’m not stressed anymore because as of 3pm five days ago, my obligations to our test subject were done. It will just remain a blemish on my otherwise unspotted record.
You win.
Chirpy!
March 12, 2007
It’s late afternoon on a Monday and I’m in a very good mood! The world is awesome!
My ass face in the office!
